What is the current legislation in the EU on GMOs?
EU legislation on GMOs has been in place since the early 1990s and throughout the decade, this regulatory framework has been further extended and refined. The EU introduced specific legislation designed to protect its citizens’ health and the environment while simultaneously creating a unified market for biotechnology. The main legislation under which experimental releases and placing on the market of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been authorised in the EU was, up until 17 October 2002, Directive 90/220/EEC. On this date, the Directive was repealed by the new, updated Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and Council on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms(1) (footnote moved from p. 7). Directive 2001/18/EC, as for Directive 90/220/EEC, puts in place a step-by-step approval process on a case by case assessment of the risks to human health and the environment before any GMO or product consisting of or containing GMOs, such as maize, tomatoes, o
